The B10 lamp designation encompasses a variety of primarily decorative lamps. These lamps are used in ornamental luminaries such as chandeliers, sconces and pendants, in which the lamp is typically visible and contributes to the aesthetics of the luminaire. Because the lamp shape is intended to resemble a candle flame, B10 lamps are commonly called candelabra lamps.
Because B10 lamps are decorative, aesthetics are an important design criterion. In addition, the light source and the associated components must fit in the space-constrained B10 form factor. B10 lamps can have a torpedo shape and are blunt or flame tipped. They typically have a candelabra (E12) or medium (E26) Edison socket base.
There are many incandescent B10 lamps on the market today. These incandescent B10 lamps typically operate at low wattages and produce warm light. Like all incandescent lamps, they are inefficient and have a relatively short lifetime. A number of CFL B10 lamps are also available. They offer energy savings and longer life than incandescents, but they are slow to illuminate. The CFL lamps may be more efficient than incandescent lamps, but they do not match the incandescent lamp's color rendering index (CRI).
Solid-state lighting is becoming increasingly important in the lighting industry. Solid-state lighting refers to a type of lighting that uses light-emitting devices with LEDs such as, for example, semiconductor light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, or polymer light-emitting diodes as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma (used in arc lamps such as fluorescent lamps), or gas. Various implementations of LED lighting fixtures are becoming available in the marketplace to fill a wide range of applications. Lighting applications in which LEDs can be used can comprise domestic lighting, billboard and display lighting, automotive and bicycle lighting, emergency lighting, traffic and railway lighting, and floodlight and flashlight use. LED lamps use less energy than incandescent lamps for the same output. In addition, LED based lamps have a longer life than standard incandescent light lamps. Accordingly, the use of LEDs in lighting applications can provide significant energy savings, increased lamp life, and flexibility in the design. For these reasons, lighting manufacturers are increasingly interested in unique lighting fixtures incorporating LEDs that may also have appeal to their intended customers.
To date, however, B10 lamps based on a single LED have been unable to match the light output of incandescents. Multi-LED configurations complicate the overall system design and additionally have been incapable of emulating the warm look produced by an incandescent filament. Testing of LED-based B10 lamps conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE) Commercially Available LED Product Evaluation and Reporting (CALiPER) program showed inconsistent lamp performance and quality and instances of inflated performance claims. One issue with the use of LEDs in general, and in lighting applications, in particular, is the management of heat created by the LEDs.
Thus, an LED lamp, particularly in a B10 type design, that can meet the light output of an incandescent filament and that can consistently meet the quality and performance standards set by the DOE is desirable. Further, a heat sink for such a lamp design that is capable of managing the heat created by the LED and is of a small enough size for use in a variety of applications is also desirable.